5 National Parks You Have to Visit for Canada 150

Oakville, Burlington, Milton, and Halton Hills are gorgeous, but everyone needs a change of scenery from time to time.

It’s no secret that Canada is scenic. With our vast landscape, there’s a lot to explore, be inspired by, and get some great Instagram selfies with.

As part of Canada 150, all national parks have free admission this year with a Canada 150 pass that can be ordered online. You can hike through winding trails, swim in clear water, see moose, birds, and reptiles, and get to know Canada a little better with a trip to one (or all!) of these five national parks you have to visit for Canada 150.

5) Bruce Peninsula National ParkOntario

Located on the Niagara Escarpment, Bruce Peninsula National Park in Tobermory is a stunning UNESCOworld biosphere reserve and a great opportunity for hiking along the Marr Lake Trail and the Bruce Trail, or swimming in Georgian Bay. Relax at Singing Sands Beach or hike to The Grotto, the park’s limestone coasts, abundance of wildlife, mixed-wood forests, cliffside cedars, clear-water lakes and vibrant orchids will make for some epic selfies. Bruce Peninsula is rugged, vibrant, and perfect for an adventurous getaway from Brampton, ideal for a few days of camping.

Extending over 11,000 square kilometres, Jasper National Park the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies and part of UNESCO’s Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site. Jasper's Easy Trail System offers twenty kilometres of bike-friendly, multi-use trails, rugged and scenic campgrounds are available to stay on, and you can watch dramatic mountain scenery unfold as you drive the world-famous Icefields Parkway or meander the stunning Maligne Lake Road and Miette Road, where you should also watch for wildlife. Bonus points if you find and check out Hidden Cove.

Kootenay is a park full of surprises. Established in 1920 as part of a road across the Rockies, you can find both icy mountain rivers to steamy hot springs at Kootenay. With deep canyons, tumbling waterfalls, and backcountry campgrounds and trails, take a fossil hike to the Burgess Shale, immerse yourself in the historic Radium Hot Springs, or spend a full day driving down the scenic 94-kilometre Banff-Windermere Highway, road trip playlist blasting. You’re sure to relax and go on adventures at this park of unexpected beauty.

Cape Breton Highlands is one of the most enchanting parks in Canada, known as the place where the mountains meet the sea. Along the Cabot Trail coastline you’ll wind through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where lush, forested river canyons carve into the ancient plateau, edged by rust-coloured cliffs. Moose and bald eagles frequent this magical place, and you might even You might even see a minke or pilot whale breaking waves in the Atlantic, or Gulf of St. Lawrence, there are opportunities to explore the park after dark, and you’ll never be far from some fresh seafood.

You have to make a trip out to Canada's first national park and the flagship of the nation's park system, where over three million visitors a year make the pilgrimage for activities like hiking, biking, skiing and camping in some of the world's most breathtaking mountain scenery. Banff is also part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site, where Rocky Mountain peaks, turquoise glacial lakes, a picture-perfect mountain town and village, abundant wildlife and scenic drives come together. You can also stumble upon some hot springs at Cave and Basin National Historic Site in the park.